Game 1 of the Post-Utley/Polanco Experiment went about as well as it could go. Wilson Valdez played second base and hit a three-run bomb. The Phillies won the game, the Braves and Mets lost, and all is well with the world. Greg Dobbs went hitless, but we’ll give him a pass after the roller-coaster ride the team put everyone on. Dobbs tenure at third will be of the day-to-day variety, it would seem.

To today’s matchup, where Roy Halladay looks for double digits in wins for the sixth straight season. He’s faced the Reds twice in his career and has gone 1-0 with a 3.68 ERA. Who would you rather have on the mound with a series win at stake? Lets do it…

Aaron Harang is opposite the Doc and has been relatively sub-par this year, and for the previous two years as well. Over his past 71 starts, Harang has just 18 victories against 38 losses. The Phillies have shelled him over nine career starts, as he’s given up 32 earned runs over just 54 innings of work. After last night’s wild victory, an easier way to win would be to have Doc shut down a touch Cincy lineup and have Harang implode early. Seems possible given the circumstances.

As part of the Sam Adams Brewmaster’s Collection, and one of the newest to grace the Sam name, Latitude 48 is a unique IPA brewed with a select blend of hops from top German, English, and American growing regions all located close to the 48th latitude within the “hop belt” of the Northern Hemisphere. I’ve yet to try this beer, but basically anything made by these guys is brilliant. For the early day game, have some smoked salmon for lunch, it’s a great pairing. -By Pat

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207 Comments

Heather

June 30, 2010 at 11:54 am

Not game related, but beer related: I’m tempted to get the Brewmaster collection because I’ve wanted to taste this beer, but I don’t like the Blackberry Witbier in there, so I’ve always passed. Anyone actually try the Latitude 48? Any good? Worth the purchase if I’m going to throw away the two Blackberry Wibiers?

Heather – I have the same issue, hate the Cherry Wheat (like drinking a beer with a Luden’s cherry cough drop), can stomach the Blackberry, but not a fan. I’ve tried all the rest but the Lat 48, all very good to great (esp the Creamy Stout) – wondering whether it’s worth buying a case to dump 4.

Don, depending on how this game goes, or lots of times it doesn’t even matter, (like last night when they won), I guarantee you will be pulling your hair out by the roots and cursing some commentors (Jeff) due to extreme negativity.

I just think its beat .. .like if you’re a Mets fan, or Braves, Nats, whoever ..

there’s no need to just talk smack on every out the phillies make, or everytime the other team scores a run.. I highly doubt that its a Reds fan .. and so if its a fan of another team, your life must suck to be posting anti-Phillies when they aren’t even playing each other

When Werth is hot, he is one of the best baseball players in the league. When he is cold, he is painful to watch. He will get an 0-2 count before you even sit in your seat. And is good for a dirty knee strike also.

I had a feeling Lidge was going to blow that lead last night after he didn’t get that strike call from the “ump”, but I didn’t bail on the team because you can never be sure they won’t come back to tie or win. Now, think how it’d be if you were an Orioles fan….I swear every time I see the scores post-game, the O’s have lost. We are VERY fortunate to have a team like this in our city.

Dobbs had a nice single in the first. Victorino should have moved up to third on the hit, but misread the ball. As far as Dobbs goes, sometimes you just have to play the hand you are dealt. He can’t look any worse than he has for the past year and a half.

Don, anti phillies fan. Im a bigger fan then you will ever be. just because i voice my opinion. I have season tickets for 15 years. I run a sports shop and have phillies do signings. i named my two month old son chase. think im a fan.

Doc has thrown 34 pitches going in to bot of the 4th. Unreal!
I think it was pretty late when I shared what Sarge said on the pre-game show last night – the Phillies PH were a combined 11 for 95 before last night. Absolutely the worst in the majors. How could that be? I’m sure I wasn’t the only dope that figured the Phils cleaned house and brought in some new blood that this bench would be much better than 09 (would not have taken much..) but its actually performed worse..

For a while, the PH are the starters and perhaps things will be different.

The thing with the Phillies pinch hitters is that alot of them are getting regular playing time, so they are not pinch hitting. Like Schneider, Valdez and Castro. Gload has been fine at pinch hitting. Can’t really complain about him too much. But Ben Francisco and Dobbs have been pretty lame.

Buster Onley said the Mets and Twins will get into a bidding war for Lee. He said the Yankees will make a call but might wait and sign him after the season. Lets hope the Twins get him for there catching prospect. God just to dream of having Doc and Lee back to back. Oh well.

Nobody is saying not to voice your opinion. But you’re so consistently negative that it’s overwhelming, almost consuming. The regulars have a very healthy exchange of ideas, theories & opinions about anything & everything about the Phillies.

Probably the only player who tends to be out of reach is Utley. Werth never has been out of reach, not for any reason, looks or otherwise. I’d say there are an equal number of people who beat him up b/c of his looks as those who do not beat him up b/c of his looks. And frankly I can’t believe this is even in discussion with a BASEBALL PLAYER. Wow this is stupid.

In any case, let’s address it – it’s difficult to fault a guy with his baseball family (knowledge) & upbringing, as well as his history: the pretty intense injury (not his fault), overcoming being thrown on the dungheap, the hard work he’s put in & continues to consistently put in (he’s played no less than 4 positions), and becoming a much needed, under-paid 4 – 5 tool player on a team full of stars. In a city that loves to beat on its sports stars, Werth has turned out to be a well liked guy (as are Howard, Rollins, Victorino, and Utley). No small feat.

Yea, I do put PNC over Camden Yards. And I put Camden Yards over CBP just based on the fact the concourses at Camden Yards are so much wider. CBP gets a little jammed up at times, especially during rain delays.

At PNC the second level along the 3rd base line is an amazing view of the field and the city. The exterior of the building is great. And I really like how most of the seats in the stadium are in the lower level, almost 2/3rds of the seats are lower level. And you can get tickets for less than face value from the scalpers.

They’re winning Mark & Keep the Ball. Bottom of the 6th and it’s 3 – 0. It IS a ‘team’ after all. Not every single one of them is ON every single day. And I don’t think you’re using the word “choke” and/or “clutch” under the right circumstances. However, it could just be me.

I was at 2 games during the Torono series over the weekend. It was such a pleasant crowd. I am partial season ticket holder, and some of the people at the games drive me nuts. It is a very drunken and rude crowd at the games quite often. It was nice to see more familes at the game, and more people there to enjoy themselves at a baseball game instead of just being at an event.

I have seen the Phillies play at Camden Yards a few times. And even with that many people the crowd flows better. I hate trying to walk through Ashburn Alley some games. I love CBP but the narrow concourses is the only thing I don’t like. And I hate the people who throw back home run balls from the opposing team.

The throwing the ball back when the road team hits a HR at Citizens Bank is pathetic. First of all, it is a Cubs tradition. Why would Phillies fans want to be like Cubs fans? That would be like LA Laker fans wanting to be like New Jersey Nets fans. Or Patriot fans wanting to be like Cleveland Browns fans. You might as well just wear a Cubs jersey to the game. Also, after you throw it, the ball girl just gives it to some little kid whose parents can afford great seats.

Just seems like the Phillies no longer steal bases. They don’t even try or threaten to. Doesn’t make sense to me. I understand Rollins not going because of the bad leg. But what is the excuse for Victorino, Werth and Utley?

Unfortunately I agree that halladay might not be a big game pitcher. I would feel much more comfortable with Cliff lee on the mound in the playoffs than halladay. Halladay pitched all those years for toronto with no pressure.

Im sorry but what the hell is Charlie thinking continually leaving Roy in all the time? Roy had a hard enough time getting out of the 7th without giving up the lead then he just brings him back out there again? What is wrong with 7 innings and 2 runs earned? Bullpen should be able to take over. This is a team sport right? Another game where I hate the moves that Charlie makes.

Thank goodness for Dane Sardinha. The comments will be about how Rollins/Howard/Werth/Ibanez had yet another invisible game. Although Werth had an impact by totally misplaying that ball in the outfield and giving up a run.

Anybody else starting to consider the “B” word for Halladay? I know all you Phils’ apologist will jump all over me, but this guy is finding ways to lose. Cliff Lee? Always found ways to win. I’d expect Sally Girl Hamels to cough up a 3-0 lead, not a “stud” like Halladay. I’m getting close to calling him a BUST.

even when they traded for doc and got rid of lee,i still wanted lee…if not for him we would of been swept in the world series or maybe not even made it there and he had already proven he can pitch in big games after the world series and amaro trades him away…what a moron…

Call him a bust for 4 runs over 8 innings? Especially when it should have been fewer, but Werth misplayed a ball, bad. If the Phillies can’t score 4 runs, they shouldn’t win. Period. Don’t ride pitchers when it’s our bats that need to come alive, and stay breathing.

So, Greg and Ed R.: an ERA today of 4.50 is acceptable for someone who is supposed to be our Horse? Sorry it isn’t. Compound that with the fact that it was 3-0, and, I’m sorry, but Halladay has to take a bit of a hit today.

If you think that we would have been better off with Cliff Lee (and not Roy Halladay) you have no credibility because it’s a NO BRAINER. Roy Halladay is arguably the greatest pitcher of this era. Cliff Lee is a nice pitcher that had a great postseason run. He was 7-4 during the regular season with the Phillies last year with a 3.39 ERA. Roy Halladay was 9-6 heading into today with a 2.29 ERA. Some of those losses were not his fault… like, most of them. The guy has been awesome and I don’t understand why we can’t leave Cliff Lee out of it.

The Original Chuck P, we keep bringing up Lee because we need him now. Out rotation still has a lot of question marks and our offense has been inconsistent. When you can’t count on the offense regularly, you have to count on the pitching. Or luck. You pick.

The fact is that we were not signing Lee after this season. Lee wants MAX money. This team is not the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox, they don’t have their own TV network.

Halladay has been outstanding
Hamels has been mostly good this year and getting back to previous form
Blanton is a 2nd half guy
Moyer has been nothing short of outstanding from what we can expect
Kendrick is Kendrick

We will see what Happ has upon his return.

And Amaro will do SOMETHING. He will address the bench and you will probably see another pitcher in here.

Some just gotta chill the hell out. This team has been playing much better over the last couple weeks. Losses like today happen, even to Roy Halladay and even to that guy in Seattle.

I did not see this game, but Charlie, whom I like, has a problem taking a pitcher out before he gives up the lead. I know Halliday wants to go 9 every time, but he gave up a run in the 6th and 7th. You need to trust you pen to get you 6 outs. And I think the pen has been underworked, Jose can pitch back to back nights, he only throw one pitch last nigh, and JC threw what 10? Even if you have to go the american league route and bring a guy for each batter you do that in this game to give you Ace a win. Charlie did with KK the other night also, no way he should have been brought back out in the 7th, when they start to get hit you need to take them out. I do not know where this lack of confidence in the pen comes from, does it all go back to one game where they blew a 5 run lead. Charlie needs to get over that, and bring in a guy to start the 7-8 or 9th inning when the starter is starting to get hit, not wait til after he is done and lost a lead.
But it is only one loss, just leaves us little room in Pittsgurgh, we need a sweep, because with this offense, 1 out of 3 in Atlanta will be tough

Chuck P you get over it. Lee is eating Doc this year. Three complete games. With a horrible team. He shut the Yankees down. When you have a three run lead with your ace you win. Doc did not do it. Like I said earlier he got hammered. Should of kept Lee and Drabek and that would of been better. Doc will not be the same here. 13 HITS. They just find new ways to lose. So happy Howie got his money. No power. This team is going nowhere.

Jeff you need to climb back into the whole you came from in NY or where ever. This team has not been together for the whole year, and even if the Mutts and Baves win tonight, they will only be 2 games back in the loss column, and that is with a average to bad june. So get over yourself, pitchers go through these types of streaches like batters do, Charlie has to learn to trust his pen again, and get these starters wins so guys like you can’t complain about win lose records. Unlike your team the Mets last year, which just went into the tank when their guys got hurt, the Phillies are still withing striking distance dispite not having 2/3 of the rotation for most of the year, and 2/3 of you infield out, so go smoke some grass and go back to NY and cheer for your Mets team, who despite the Phillies strugles have not pulled away form anybody in the east.

teejvee: Howard’s avg is 295. Werth’s avg is 292.
They both were 1 – 4 today but Werth had a run.
Werth currently has 1 less HR than Howard.
Ibanez hit in a bunch of runs the night we went into extra innings to beat the Reds.
I’m not sure what you’re talking about.

A team loss today; from the starting pitcher all the way down to the manager. At least Halladay kept his team in the game and should have been relieved after seven innings. Not enough offense; if not for our catcher’s home run, would have been shut out. Werth’s defensive miscue came up big as it led to losing margin of one run. Ibanez and Victorino; not getting it done at all at the plate. Phillies continue not being able to solve Red’s pitcher Harang when other teams areable to hit him around. Uneasy thought as to how the Phils are going to fare against Atlanta and the Reds next week at CBP.

Hey The Original Chuck P…I’ll bet you one billion dollars (pinky at side of mouth) that the Phils don’t sweep the Pirates. They way they are playing this year, combined with the fact they never play well in Pittsburgh, makes me think they’ll be lucky to split the series.

Great we are not paying the best pitcher in baseball to be good early on. He is your ace. After a dramatic win last night and you have a 3 run lead tody, you win. thats why he is here. lee fit this team so much better.

Cliff Lee is a GREAT pitcher, don’t get me wrong and I would have loved to have kept him and Halladay but if it really did come down to Lee or Halladay, I see absolutely no way that you could go the other way, especially considering Cliff Lee is going to be a free agent. I think that we should have kept them both but I’m playing with Monopoly money.

The pitching match-ups aren’t bad for this upcoming series: Hamels/McCutchen (favors Hamels)
Moyer/Ohlendorf (favors Moyer)
Kendrick/Maholm (favors Maholm but Kendrick’s pitching life is on the line so maybe he’s got a gem in him)
Blanton/Karsten (toss up… maybe Blanton slightly)

A 4 game sweep is probably wishful thinking but I could see it happening.

great. halladay should be proud of this complete game. he threw no pitches inside today. let the reds swing away. i was all for having lee. i thought jr did right by holding strong. got a great pitcher that everyone in baseball now wants. lee with that catch in the world series with one hand. thats the man/.

Jeff, if you were a fan, why would you want an inferior pitcher? Cliff Lee is DAMN GOOD. He is not as good as Roy Halladay, still though. Halladay has a 2.35 ERA after over 11 games. He has 3 CG SO’s, one BEING A PERFECT GAME, and then he has 3 more CG’s. Guess what though! He lost one of those CG’s because of an anemic offense. Halladay’s SUPERB pitching is NOT the problem. It’s the team’s offensive struggles that have hurt him. IF Halladay had 5 runs per game, he’d probably be around 14 wins right now. His losses in complete games came on a 2-1, and 1-0 (After 8 IP).

Also Jeff, let me put this into perspective: Would you rather have Cliff Lee for 1 year, then have Hamels be our ace again after Lee signs in Free Agency with another team, or would you rather have Roy Halladay for 3 years, at the STEAL of 60 million dollars, no question’s asked? You can only choose one. Which is it?

If you chose Halladay, you are Ruben Amaro Jr., and you’ve made the choice the Ownership told him he had to make.

If you chose Lee, you’re a dumbass who doesn’t care about the future of this team. Thus, it could be assumed that you have never watched the Phillies pre-2007, when having a pitcher like Figueroa or Eaton was the big topic. Not Lee or Halladay.

So Jeff, Mark – kids – what we need to see is every time that Roy Halladay pitches, he should give up 2 runs or less? Wait, I take that back. On May the 18th he gave up 2 runs to the Pirates and lost 2-1. On June 10th, he gave up 1 run to Fla and lost. So, he should pitch just shutouts every game. What a slacker@!

His ERA is 2.42 guys! His record should be more like 12 (or 13) wins and 3 losses if he had run support.

you guys put werth, halladay, howard on the moon. werth is so overrated for one. i have no idea why he did what he did. maybe juice. he is a very nice player not worth what he is looing for. they should of let howard play out his contract. he will be in his mid 30s.

That wasn’t a choice, Jeff! Ruben HAD to choose, Halladay for 3 years, Lee for none. Or Lee for 1 year, Halladay slips away.

THOSE ARE THE ONLY TWO POSSIBLE CHOICES. Don’t you think Ruben would have loved to have Two legitimate aces? The guy is a fan of the team. Hell, he played for it. He loves this team. Sure, he’s made some bonehead choices, but he was given two possible scenario’s, and he chose the one 99.99% of people with IQ’s over 60 would choose.

Ok Greg, why not hold onto lee for a few more weeks then give him away for trash. please. three players that will never be heard from again for one of the games top pitchers. its worst then what we gave up for him.

Jeff! I don’t know if you’re mentally retarded, or what, but you don’t understand! It’s not hard to comprehend. Ruben had TWO, count them, One…two…, choices. Halladay for 3 years, Lee for 1. Not keep Lee until the trade deadline, then trade him. He had to trade him to a lesser team that wouldn’t give us problems. Do you really think the Phillies want to give the Yankees a stud like Lee, or the Red Sox, or the Braves, or the Muts?

How stupid are you, Jeff?

Also, since when are you Miss. Effin Cleo? You can read the future? What do you have to say about Biddle? Is he going to flop, too? I’m going to laugh when Phillipe Aumont becomes one of the best pitchers in the league in four years, and when you find out, you’ll be sitting in an asylum wondering why your parents dropped you on your head repeatedly as a kid, and forced the ridicule upon you on a daily basis.

Explain to me.. how, if the Phillies STOLE Cliff Lee from the Indians, while Lee had 1.5 years left under contract

we would then get MORE in return from a team to get him for only 1 year, instead of 1.5 ….

It’s also been suggested that Amaro could have waited longer and gotten better prospects from such teams as the Yankees and RedSox … the same teams that didn’t want to give up more than what we did for Lee at 1.5 years, would then change their minds, and top that offer for 1.0 years of Cliff Lee?

aumont. you mean the man that got sent way down. are you a moron. did not have to trade lee at the deadline but jr could of waited a couple more weeks in the offseason. put his name out there. they traded him because they wanted everyone to think it was apart of the doc deal. are you that stupid. all jr has done is given out these huge contracts. gillick cleaned all that crap up.

So why aren’t you riding Jayson for not making that catch? Why am I pissing you off? Because of your incompetence at understanding basic knowledge of a sport? Why aren’t you angry that the only runs came off of a fourth string catcher?

now we have NO FARM, our players are getting older. Raul is a joke, Howard will need a wheelchair when his big deal is done. Jimmy is not the same player. Werth will be out of here after this season. We have a 47 year old pitcher that might have to stay until 50. Cole is not the guy he was. Shades of it at times but nowhere near. Blanton, Kendrick are you crazy. No pen or closer. no bench. where are they going. nobody in the league will trade for anyone.

We won’t know for a few weeks what Seattle will get for Lee, but all the rumors are floating names that are much better prospects than what RAJ settled on. Of course they’re just rumors at this point, so until Seattle actually pulls the trigger we can’t evaluate how good or bad RAJ did with his Lee deal.

Cole Hamels DID win us a World Series by himself.. and at 26 years old, he’s far from reaching his peak as a Major League player

He’s still here …

and with him, we added a pitcher with better career numbers than Cliff Lee, in Roy Halladay .. and then signed Halladay to the exact extension that wasn’t enough money for Lee

…
Also … I think i’ve said this 5x in the past month, but the Phillies changed the arm-angle on Aumont’s delivery …. so of course his control is going to take a while to adjust.. his poor numbers are due in large part to him WALKING too many hitters

Since he’s still 21-22 years old, with a pro-sized body, and arm-stregth that you can’t teach … he’s still a super-prospect in the eyes of many

Don – It’s slightly disturbing that the centerpiece of the Lee deal is a “project player”. The common consensus is that for a player of Lee’s caliber (and for one full year of service) the return should have included at least one player that was close to being major league ready. I hope the rumor mills are wrong, because it seems like Seattle has a good chance of getting a bigger return for Lee as a two month rental than RAJ got for Lee as a full season player.

Jeff If we have no farm and we don’t keep our core players, the ones who have won consistently for three years now, who do we put on the field? It sounds like you do not want to keep any of our current players at their contracts but go out and get other free agents. Sounds good get rid of current players that will be free agents and sign other free agents. Stupid.